Blue Nile state, described by ACLED as previously having been ‘peripheral’ to the trajectory of the war in Sudan, reportedly became a key battleground in January 2026, following the buildup of troops on both sides in the State in December 2025. On 11 January 2026, the SAF carried out airstrikes in Yabous on what it labelled a convoy carrying foreign mercenaries, while the SPLM-N-Al-Hilu claimed that they struck civilians.1117 In late January 2026, the SPLM-N-Al-Hilu and the RSF reportedly launched a joint offensive on SAF positions in the state, while RSF troops advanced northward from Baw district towards Damazin.1118 Clashes were reported in Baw district,1119 where the SPLM-N briefly seized Silk (Silak, Salk).1120 Further violent clashes between the warring parties happened in February and March 2026, as thousands of RSF fighters reportedly advanced from Ethiopian territory1121 and the area around the southern town of Kurmuk on the border with Ethiopia became the focal point of the confrontations.1122 The rebel alliance finally took over Kurmuk1123 while the SPLM-N was mobilising forces in Geisan (Qaysan) district.1124 By mid-April sources close to the RSF reported to have reached Al-Keili area about 145 kilometres south of Damazin, with clashes occurring around Sali town on a main highway towards Damazin.1125
The months from May to July 2026 saw a reversal of some of the gains made by the rebel alliance, as the SAF reported heavy fighting with the RSF in Al-Kaili,1126 seized the border town Khor Hassan from the RSF,1127 advanced south recapturing the strategic areas of Magia (Mugaja) and Surkum (Sirkum)1128 and finally seized Kurmuk at the start of July 2026.1129 The London-based Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) with its war monitoring project Sudan Witness identified Blue Nile state as the area with most conflict-related activity in 2026 together with North Kordofan and West Darfur.1130 Both conflict sides in 2026 reportedly increased their reliance on drone strikes, also in Blue Nile,1131 with ACLED recording an uptick in February with 19 strikes compared to just 3 in January, the majority of them conducted by the SAF.1132
In mid-August 2026, the Taasis alliance in turn managed to reverse the recent gains made by the SAF by taking control of Kurmuk town once again1133 while starting a fresh offensive from across the Ethiopian border capturing Geisan town in Geisan district.1134 In September 2026, the RSF made further gains by capturing a SAF garrison in the Jebel Kadam area east of Kurmuk.1135
- 1117
ACLED, Blue Nile: From peripheral front to central battleground in the Sudan conflict, 26 January 2026, url
- 1118
MEE, Sudan's RSF launches offensive in Blue Nile state, 26 January 2026, url
- 1119
UNHCR, External Update #115 Sudan Situation - January 2026, 7 April 2026, url, p. 3; Getachew Birru, J., Blue Nile State: How Gulf Rivalries Are Redrawing Sudan’s War Map [Blog], PRIF, 24 March 2026, url
- 1120
CTP, Red Sea Showdown Brewing in Northern Somalia, New Fronts in Sudan: Africa File, January 29, 2026, 29 January 2026, url
- 1121
Mada Masr, Sudan Nashra: Blue Nile’s Kurmuk falls to RSF | Around 100 civilians killed in drone attacks attributed to military in Darfur | 5 killed in Central Darfur by Chadian forces, eyewitnesses say | Repercussions of war on Iran a ‘crisis multiplier’ for Sudan’s medicine supply, acute drug scarcity on the horizon, sources say, 26 March 2026, url
- 1122
Ayin Network, Blue Nile: Fierce battles, drone strikes, competing control and thousands displaced, 17 March 2026, url
- 1123
Horn Review, Sudan’s New Front in Blue Nile, 8 May 2026, url; Sudan War Monitor, Map: Sudanese Rebels Overrun Army Garrison at Ethiopia Border, 24 March 2026, url
- 1124
Sudan Tribune, SPLM-N rebels, RSF extend operations after seizing Sudan’s Kurmuk, 26 March 2026, url
- 1125
Horn Review, Sudan’s New Front in Blue Nile, 8 May 2026, url
- 1126
New Arab (The), Sudan army retakes area on Ethiopia border after RSF clashes, 10 May 2026, url
- 1127
Al Jazeera, Sudanese army captures key town near Ethiopian border from RSF, 16 May 2026, url
- 1128
Dabanga, Sudan army and allied forces claim gains in Blue Nile and Darfur, 30 June 2026, url; Sudans Post, Sudanese military retakes Sirkum and Mugaja in Blue Nile, 29 June 2026, url
- 1129
CIR, SAF movements in Blue Nile state, Sudan, 16 July 2026, url; Mada Masr, Sudan Nashra: Military retakes Blue Nile’s Kurmuk | RSF amasses forces near West Darfur’s Kulbus, residents flee | Debt crisis traps Sudanese in Egypt, embassy moves to free debtors in prison | Architect of Hemedti’s Entebbe visit holds talks in Khartoum, 10 July 2026, url; Sudan War Monitor, Sudan Army Captures Kurmuk From Rebel Coalition, 8 July 2026, url
- 1130
CIR, SAF movements in Blue Nile state, Sudan, 16 July 2026, url
- 1131
Sudan Tribune, Sudanese army claims destruction of 224 RSF combat vehicles, 30 June 2026, url
- 1132
Getachew Birru, J., Blue Nile State: How Gulf Rivalries Are Redrawing Sudan’s War Map [Blog], PRIF, 24 March 2026, url
- 1133
Mada Masr, Sudan Nashra: In cross-border offensive, RSF seizes Blue Nile’s Geisan, recaptures Kurmuk | Military repels major RSF attack on North Kordofan’s Gabra al-Sheikh | After clashes inside Kauda, SPLM-N-Otoro fighting spreads to nearby villages | Kordofan governor in RSF-led govt defects | Back-to-back Sudanese visits to Juba in mutual push to contain border, Abyei tensions, 14 August 2026, url; Sudan Tribune, RSF says it took control of Sudan’s strategic border town Kurmuk, 13 August 2026, url; Al Jazeera, Sudan army says RSF advance on key town bordering Ethiopia, 13 August 2026, url
- 1134
Sudan War Monitor, Ta’sis Coalition Overruns Geisan in Fresh Blue Nile Offensive, 13 August 2026, url
- 1135
Sudan War Monitor, RSF seizes another strategic army garrison in Blue Nile, 17 September 2026, url